A/N: Good evening. It does not seem like Monday; more like a Thursday.

krillball6- I know you wanted her to stay in a coma, but that way things can't get any better (and they are to get better. Soon.) I'm not hiding it, this chapter is going to suck.

Don't forget to review.

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"Next, the case of Amaryllis Riddle," said the minister.

"I thought Jacqueline was next," whispered Harry to Hermione.

All looked to the large doors that opened. Jacqueline entered through them with two wizards with drawn wands behind her. She came to the middle of the room and stopped in front of the minister. Her gaze was as always, cold and arrogant. She noticed that all the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, and the two Malfoys were there. Also, the school teaching staff was there including Dumbledore.

"Ms. Riddle please drink the following," said the minister and a wizard gave her a goblet full of dark liquid.

"Sorry for interruption, sir," said Snape, standing up, "But, Ms. Riddle is immune to Veritaserum."

The minister looked at Amy, who nodded, and he motioned for the cup to be taken away. Instead, Fudge cast a truth-telling spell on her.

"Is your name Amaryllis Jacqueline Riddle?" asked the minister, testing the spell.

"Yes," said Amy.

The trio exchanged glances.

"And in the past years you presented yourself as Jacqueline Mireille, therefore taking you parents' names?"

"Yes."

"Have you been serving You-Know-Who all this time?"

The room went silent as all awaited Amy's answer. Amaris sat there and stared at the minister. She then said, "Yes, but not by choice."

The minister ignored the last comment. "He is your godfather, is he not?"

"Right."

"And what brought you to Hogwarts?"

Jacqueline sighed and said, "I was to help him to get to Harry Potter."

A silence rang out in the room and the trio just stared at their past friend. They had shock on their faces that soon turned to hatred.

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After some time into the trial, the minister said, "Amaryllis Riddle, you are found guilty by the ministry. You are sentenced to thirty years in Azkaban."

The room was in silence. Jacqueline looked down to the ground and thought. She wanted terribly to speak up and tell the truth, but the spell Voldemort put on her was still upon her. She looked up at the Minister with pleading eyes and said, "May I say one thing, sir?"

Everyone stared as Amy spoke for the first time, out of turn. The minister nodded.

"I have a proposition for you," her eyes fell to the ground once more. "I ask only of one thing, may I finish my term in Hogwarts and let me graduate. I don't care if I have to be followed around by ministry wizards or if I won't be able to have my wand. Just please let me finish school and…" her voice shook, "I'll agree to a lifetime sentence in Azkaban."

Everyone stared at her as if she had gone crazy. No one ever asked of such a thing. Cornelius Fudge stared at her and then said, "Why do you ask of this? In thirty years you will be able to walk as a free person once again. And yet, you turn that down."

Amy looked at him with cold and sad eyes. She smirked up at him, "Yes, I spend thirty years in prison and you say I'll be able to walk the streets freely again. No, I won't be able to do that. There'll be no more life for me after prison. I'll spend my days alone, because no one will trust me and everyone will be scared of me as they are now. The life that I tried to build around me has come crashing down. Everything and everyone I ever loved has been forced away. I'd rather spend the rest of my life in that damned prison than thirty years."

No one said anything as they let Amaris's words sink in. The minister cleared his throat and then said, "Amaryllis, I grant you your graduation under these regulations. You will be under the careful eye of two ministry wizards and you will have your wand only during class. If you step out of line once, you'll be in Azkaban for life faster than you can blink."

Jacqueline nodded.

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"What!" exploded Harry as soon as he and the Weasleys returned to the Burrow. "They are just going to let her return?"

"Harry," said Hermione softly, "They do have to show her some respect; even if she is a bad witch. Don't forget she is the girl who lived. She survived that curse just like you."

"That is still no excuse. She was in league with Voldemort and she tried to hand us over to him. How can they overlook that?"

"Well, the ministry AND Dumbledore will make sure that everyone will be safe when she's there," said Ron.

"Why does she want to finish term anyway?" asked Harry.

"Who knows? I'm not even sure why she asked for a sentence of a lifetime in Azkaban," thought Hermione out loud, plunging into the couch.

"Maybe she thinks she can stand it," smirked Harry and the trio burst out laughing.

"Who can that be?" Ron remarked, hearing someone knock on the door.

"Ron, get that would you, dear?" came Mrs. Weasley from the kitchen.

Ron mumbled and went to get the door. He opened it and his face darkened as he saw Narcissa and Draco Malfoy on the doorstep.

"Ron isn't it?" asked Narcissa.

The other nodded, making no intention of inviting them in.

"Is your father home?" she asked.

"Ron, sweetheart? Who is it?" asked Molly, walking up to her son. She paused as she saw the Malfoys.

"May we help you?" she asked.

"Yes," said Draco. "We were wondering if it was possible to see Mr. Weasley."

"Sure, come inside," said Mrs. Weasley stepping aside and then having to push Ron away.

The Malfoys followed her to the living room and saw Hermione and Harry there. The two stood up and joined Ron immediately, their faces growing dark. Narcissa said a pleasant 'good day' and Draco just nodded his head.

"Arthur," called Mrs. Weasley to her husband who was in the kitchen. "Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy are here to see you."

The elder Weasley walked out of the kitchen and went over to the Malfoys.

"What brings you here?" he asked, his voice an octave lower.

"We've come to discuss the business my father left behind," said Draco, his voice calm, with no usual hatred in it.

Arthur scanned the boy and then nodded his head. "Please follow me upstairs."

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"What did they want now?" asked Ginny, at dinner.

"Pass the potatoes please," said Arthur before replying. "They wanted to talk about the partnership Lucius and I had."

"Yeah, where you do all the work and they receive all the money? Yeah, I heard of that," said Ron angrily.

"Do not speak that way, Ronald," snapped Arthur. "It's only because of their visit have we gained an extra income of a five hundred Galleons a month."

"What!" exclaimed Molly. "Arthur, you never told me."

All stared at Mr. Weasley, who nodded. "We had to renegotiate some points of the partnership."

"And how'd you make them give in? Ey, dad?" asked Ron, smiling at the thought of the Malfoys caving.

"Nothing. I didn't have to do anything at all. It was actually Draco's idea. Well, he made it so…"

"Malfoy's idea!" exclaimed the Harry and Ron.

"Let him finish," said Molly.

"Thank you. Now, he arranged the deal so that both our families would profit. They get something they want and I get the pay I have deserved all these years. Lucius raised a wonderful boy. He is a wonderful businessman."

The trio smirked.

"Strangely, he is nothing like his father."

"So what was it that the Malfoy's wanted?" asked Hermione.

"Can't share that with you; it's Ministry stuff," said Arthur.

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krillball6- Well, the whole Harry helping Jacqui thing… um, I'll address that in Ch. 51 (whish I took the liberty to write today… just now actually). Just keep on reading and you'll see how I resolve it in Ch. 45: I'm Free.